More than a week after the PML-N stepped up its election campaign, the former ruling party failed to put up an ‘impressive’ power show in Rawalpindi’s Liaquat Bagh ostensibly due to bad weather and the party’s local chapter’s alleged failure to whip up support ahead of the gathering.

The public meeting on Saturday was addressed by PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif, who hardly spoke for 10 minutes on the occasion. According to Shehbaz, if voted to power, his party would initiate development and social welfare projects in the garrison city.

Some party supporters believed the absence of Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz, both considered crowd pullers, also dampened the enthusiasm of the PML-N workers, who were present in significant numbers but less than what the party had expected.